Particle therapy systems use an accelerator to generate a particle beam for treating afflictions, such as tumors. In operation, the particle beam is accelerated inside a cavity of the particle accelerator, and removed from the cavity through an extraction channel. Various elements are used to focus the particle beam and apply it to appropriate areas of a patent.
Different patients may require different doses and dose rates of particles. The dose and dose rate applied to a patient is a function of the intensity of the particle beam. Controlling the intensity of the particle beam therefore enables control over the dose and dose rate.